Pete Hegseth’s “The Short Blanket”

Several U.S. military leaders have warned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that prolonging large-scale operations against Iran is unsustainable and risks undermining the ability to address threats in other areas, including the homeland. This is according to sources familiar with a recent assessment prepared for the head of the Pentagon. The warnings – presented to Hegseth by the Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Navy and Air Force, and by the four-star generals overseeing US operations in Europe, Asia and Latin America – appear in the 14 August edition of the ‘Secretary of Defense Orders Book’ (SDOB). The sources described the document to the Washington Post on condition of anonymity, as it is classified material. The SDOB, usually drawn up twice a month, outlines the global deployment of US warships, aircraft, personnel and weapons systems. It reflects the President’s priorities for the Armed Forces, as implemented by the Secretary of Defence, and includes analyses by the most senior generals and admirals who shape the Pentagon’s directives.

While President Donald Trump is putting pressure on Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept various U.S. conditions to end a deadlocked conflict, he has remained firm in stating that all options remain on the table. Consequently, Central Command, the command responsible for managing the war in Iran, has for months kept a force of over 50,000 troops on alert in the event that the President orders new attacks. The document dated 14 August stipulates that some of the troops deployed in the Middle East are to remain there until September and others until 2027. The prospect of a further extension of the mission has prompted military leaders to express their deep concern. The commanders of European Command, Pacific Command and Southern Command, together with the Admiral in charge of the Navy, have responded by inserting into the Sdob what is termed a ‘non-concur’ – that is, a formal dissent against the Secretary’s order to extend the mission, whilst confirming its proper execution. The commands overseeing operations in Europe, Asia and Latin America have had ships, aircraft and other equipment diverted to support the conflict with Iran. This has limited their ability to carry out missions and ensure adequate training. The Navy, in particular, has had to stretch its operational capacity to the limit to keep pace with the demands of the war effort. The leadership of the Army and the Air Force, on the other hand, have agreed with Hegseth’s intention to extend the deployment of forces, whilst emphasising that the decision entails significant risks.

Overall, the view expressed by the military leadership is that the operation in Iran, now in its sixth month, has become “excessive and too protracted”, one of the sources stated. The warning sent to Hegseth, previously unpublished, offers a new perspective on the Administration’s dilemma: on the one hand, Trump is seeking to bring the conflict to a close on terms favourable to the United States; on the other, Iran, aware of the war’s unpopularity amongst Americans and its toll on the US arsenal, refuses to surrender. “Decisions regarding the scope and duration of individual operational commitments to any Command are made based on the current threat assessment, the strategic priorities set by the President, and the advice of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the operational commanders,” Sean Parnell, Hegseth’s spokesperson, said in a statement to the Washington Post. The Pentagon “does not comment on internal operational dynamics”, including the Sdob, “nor on individual favourable opinions, dissenting views or risk assessments provided by the Armed Forces or Commands during deliberations on the allocation of resources”, he added. The Sdob is also reviewed by General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A spokesperson for him declined to comment, referring enquiries to Hegseth’s office.

The document serves as an official channel through which senior military leaders can highlight critical issues regarding resources and demonstrate to Hegseth the impact that the allocation or reduction of resources has on objectives. It is common practice for commanders to discuss risk factors, the source explained. However, the current situation appears, on the whole, to be “more serious”: some generals and admirals have been exceptionally forthright and explicit in challenging Hegseth’s orders to continually deploy assets and personnel in the face of an operational trajectory that remains uncertain. The heads of European Command and Southern Command have warned Hegseth that the loan of ships and reconnaissance aircraft to Central Command has undermined their ability to fulfil national defence tasks. Admiral Samuel Paparo, head of the Pacific Command, said he was opposed to the level of support continually being requested, which includes an aircraft carrier strike group and naval destroyers. A spokesperson for the European Command declined to comment. Spokespersons for the Southern Command and the Pacific Command did not respond to requests for clarification.

Admiral Daryl Caudle, Chief of Naval Operations, painted the bleakest picture for Hegseth, stating in the Sdob that the Navy cannot sustain the current level of support for the war in Iran without an anticipated end date. The Navy has borne an extraordinary burden. It was asked to provide dozens of vessels for the Iranian campaign: first to take part in the attack and defend against counter-attacks, then for months to enforce the blockade of Iranian ports imposed by Trump in an attempt to forcibly reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Deployment periods for many ships and crews have been extended by several months. Caudle told Hegseth that barely a quarter of the destroyer fleet is ready for deployment, a sharp decline from pre-war levels. More generally, the document highlights that the impact on ship maintenance – should the demands of the Iranian operation continue unabated – jeopardises the fleet’s readiness in the event of other conflicts. A spokesperson for Caudle did not respond to requests for an interview. During a recent event in Norfolk, the admiral spoke about the extended deployments, describing them as “very tough on our sailors”. “I’m not usually a big fan of extensions and I strongly oppose them, but the enemy also has a say in the matter,” Caudle said, according to the transcript provided by the Navy.

Although the top brass of the Army and Air Force agree with Hegseth’s current approach, they have acknowledged the practical difficulties it entails. Units of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, which had mobilised 2,000 soldiers in March in response to the war, will have their mission extended to a full year, Major General Brandon R. Tegtmeier confirmed in a letter dated Sunday. The letter sent to the Division acknowledges the complexity of the uncertainties surrounding the mobilisation and emphasises that commanders “understand how much a longer mission weighs on families, including our own”. Those soldiers would be crucial in the event of a ground invasion of Iran. An extension is also expected for the units operating the Army’s Patriot air defence systems, which are deployed to shoot down missiles and drones targeting US bases. An Army spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment. The depletion of Patriot interceptors—due to the conflict in Iran and previous supplies to Ukraine—has limited the Trump administration’s ability to further escalate the war, whilst Tehran retains the capability to successfully strike US facilities across the Middle East. As previously reported by the Washington Post and other publications, the war has also depleted U.S. stocks of THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) interceptors – vital not only for the protection of U.S. assets but also those of regional allies – and of long-range Tomahawk missiles. Furthermore, around 25 per cent of the Pentagon’s Reaper drone fleet has been lost, and US bases in the region have sustained billions of dollars’ worth of damage. The Trump administration continues to maintain that the figures on the ammunition shortfall are inaccurate.

Many Air Force units deployed to the Middle East to carry out air strikes and ongoing operations will also have their deployment extended until 2027. The Air Force declined to comment, citing state secrecy regarding the Sdob. A spokesperson for Central Command declined to comment, referring the matter to Hegseth’s office. The recent ‘non-concurs’ represent the latest warning signal issued by the military leadership. As has already emerged, Caine had warned the White House before the start of hostilities that the United States did not have sufficient ammunition or support from its allies to sustain a prolonged, large-scale campaign. More recently, General Alexus Grynkewich, head of European Command, confided privately to the Pentagon that he did not have adequate naval forces to protect Israel and US territory from missile attacks. In the Pacific, the United States’ key allies have expressed grave concern: the depletion of stockpiles of missiles and air interceptors leaves the region vulnerable to China. The only U.S. aircraft carrier permanently assigned to the Pacific—the cornerstone of the deterrence strategy against Beijing—has been diverted to the Middle East to relieve another unit that has been on operational duty for over 300 days.